After a crazy couple of days we are back in Vietnam the Old Quarter, Hanoi. Friday we caught the VIP bus from Luang Prabang to Van Vieng which was evidently a 5 hour trip but somehow turned into a very long and drawn out 7 hours through hill tribe territory. This bus had the worst toilet I have had the displeasure of using and when we stopped for lunch there was a squat toilet i.e. basically a hole in the ground. Delightful! Anyway, made it in one piece and after a short tuk tuk ride into Van Vieng town we took the first guesthouse we came too which was basic and clean (and only 40,000 kip each for the night - about US$5). After walking around the town we decided BeerLao was in order so stopped at one of the many restaurants which strangely all seemed to have episode after episode of Friends blaring out of TV's at full volume! After pizza for dinner and another squat toilet experience, we went out for vodka buckets - small buckets of vodka/lime/red bull with straws for 35,000kip ($4). After a number of these we ended up at the 'Island' which is basically a wide open space with bonfires, hammocks and a bar accessed only by a rickity bridge over the river. This was obviously paradise for every 18 year old backpacker from far and wide as it was manic. Ehewww! Next morning the girls went tubing (I opted out of this!) and then we were back on a rickity bus bound for Vientane (Laos capital). Only 3.5 hours this time so all good. Stayed in the weirdest guesthouse ever - looked like no-one has stayed there for quite some time plus the cleanliness was pretty shocking. Had dinner at a lovely French/Lao restaurant where I had the spiciest soup ever.

This morning we went to a temple, had brunch then heading to the airport for our plane to Vietnam on Lao Airlines - great flight with food and even BeerLao, pretty good for an airline with apparently no aviation certificate! Another car trip from the airport which wasn't bad this time round - Sunday so there was less traffic and back to the Hotel Elegance when I stayed the first time although in Hotel No.1 this time not No.2.